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Will and Kate Consider Anmer Hall Their “Family Home”

In the wake of today’s royal baby news (thank you to everyone who called, texted and tweeted your well wishes. We’re all thrilled), people are searching high and low for the next related headline.

While I wouldn’t call this bit of news surprising, I do find it interesting. According to the Daily Mail, renovations are just about done on Anmer Hall, the Georgian mansion gifted to the Duke of Cambridge by Queen Elizabeth. The Cambridges, it appears, are looking to make it their home base.

The 10-bedroom abode, which has reportedly undergone renovations upwards of $2 million, is situated on Her Majesty’s Sandringham estate and boasts a tennis court and swimming pool. Since Prince William’s new job as a pilot for East Anglia Air Ambulance Service is about an hour away from the house, it will be more convenient than commuting from the couple’s official residence at Kensington Palace in London.

Since Kate grew up in the quaint little town of Bucklebury, and William spent a lot of his youth at Prince Charles‘ Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire, it makes sense that they’d want to raise their children away from the clutter and noise of city life.

“Regardless of what anyone says, Anmer Hall will be the couple’s family home,” a source told royal reporter Rebecca English, adding that Kate feels “trapped” in Kensington Palace, despite it being tucked safely behind the walls and away from the public.

However, when she wants to take Prince George Prince George for a walk in Kensington Gardens, she notices paparazzi lurking nearby. Anmer Hall, on the other hand, is far more remote, and not as easily accessible to the public thanks to strategically-planted trees and a re-routed driveway.